The grant funds will be used to make sidewalks safer throughout West Hartford, particularly on arterial and collector roadways and areas near high pedestrian generators such as schools or parks, as well as to fill some sidewalk gaps.

By Ronni Newton

The list of towns and cities that are recipients of funding through the sixth round of the Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) Community Connectivity Grant Program – which included West Hartford – were announced this summer, and on Thursday Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz was joined by CTDOT Deputy Commissioner Karen Kitsis, state Sen. Derek Slap, state Rep. Kate Farrar, Deputy Mayor Ben Wenograd, and Mayor Shari Cantor to highlight the details of the program and the projects the grant will be able to fund.

West Hartford was awarded $697,000 through the program which will be used for pedestrian safety improvements, Bysiewicz said. “This project is going to upgrade, replace, and/or install accessible sidewalk ramps in various locations throughout West Hartford to improve accessibility for both motorists and pedestrians.”

In addition, West Hartford will be use the funds to improve the sidewalk facilities along Kane Street and Oakwood Avenue, where there are new bus stops as part of recent changes to CT Transit bus route 153, which now services the UConn Health Care facility on Kane Street. Bus stop pads and sidewalk extensions to the bus stops will be installed with funding from the grant.

Additionally, the grant will be used to eliminate a sidewalk gap on Flagg Road and provide connectivity to Westmoor Park.

“I’m really proud to be here in West Hartford today to highlight some of the things they’ve been doing to make it safer for pedestrians and motorists,” Bysiewicz said, “because they have been a role model for communities across the state.”

She also touted West Hartford’s adoption of the Vision Zero Initiative, which has the goal of eliminating fatalities and severe injuries on West Hartford’s streets by 2033. “I can’t stress the importance of Vision Zero initiatives enough because in 2024 we’ve see a record number of fatalities on our roadways,” Bysiewicz said.

As of Oct. 1, 245 people have been killed on Connecticut roadways, including 48 pedestrians. With three months left in the year, the state is on track to surpass past years. In 2019 there were 195 deaths, and there were 366 in 2022 and 316 in 2023. “We have a lot of work to do because one death is too much,” Bysiewicz said.

October is Pedestrian Safety Month, and Bysiewicz said everyone has the responsibility of keeping each other safe. She outlined some important safety measures for pedestrians, including wearing high visibility clothing, using designated crosswalks, and “be aware of your surroundings and don’t be on your cellphone.” Drivers are reminded to yield to pedestrians, be mindful of bike lanes and cyclists and give them a wide berth, observe speed limits and traffic signals, and avoid distractions.

Kitsis said she is very excited about the Community Connectivity Grant Program and the nearly-$700,000 West Hartford has received. “This will improve pedestrian safety which is a top priority, both for the department, the lieutenant governor’s and the governor’s administration, and West Hartford as well.”

Kitsis one of the best things about this grant is that it serves multi-modal users. Statewide, since the inception of the program, there have been 138 grants awarded, totaling more than $62 million, including more than $12 million in the most recent round. “What’s really exciting is that none of these projects come from us … they come from local communities where they are developed and supported by those community members, by state officials and local advocates,” she said.

This Community Connectivity Program dovetails with the Vision Zero Action Plan, which recommends safety improvements throughout town, as well as other town initiatives including the Complete Streets Plan. Town Engineer Greg Sommer said in applying for the grant, his department “looked at all of our sidewalk connections, evaluated where we had deficiencies or didn’t have accessible compliant ramps, and that’s how we prioritized those locations selected as part of the grant.”

Slap thanked Bysiewicz, who he said understands the “magic” of West Hartford. “We want to be the safest, best town in all of New England when it comes to pedestrian safety and when it comes to being a cyclist.” This is an important investment, and state support is needed, and this grant “touches every corner, every aspect of West Hartford.”

In the spring it was announced that West Hartford had received a $1 million grant in support of Vision Zero, and Slap expressed his thanks for the state’s support of that initiative, but said more is always needed to protect the community.

Farrar said residents are very interested in the design and safety of its roadways, and safety for all. She said she recently spoke with a constituent who is blind and has difficulty with accessibility of the sidewalks near her home. “I think the transformation with our sidewalks ensures that everyone will be able to get out and go to the store, get to the bank, can actually live and thrive in our community. … This really is a partnership between our town and the state.”

Wenograd said the town has been working for more than a decade on plans to make the streets and sidewalks safer. “We can talk about personal responsibility. … but what we’ve learned is that it often does come down to planning,” he said. The North Main Street Road Diet, updates in the Center area including one-way streets, changes on Boulevard including the raised crosswalk, are some examples he noted that have already been implemented.

“We need the help. We have very ambitious goals for West Hartford, and we can’t do it ourselves,” Wenograd said. “The partnership is working great and it will have to continue,” he added.

Cantor said she’s so appreciative of the state’s support and investment in West Hartford. “The connectivity and the walkability, the safety of the most vulnerable road users – pedestrians and cyclists – is a real priority, and this grant allows us to continue the work of making our sidewalks safe, connect trails to sidewalks, to do the things that we need to do to make sure our community remains vibrant, safe, and walkable.” We have more than 220 miles of sidewalks, she said, and thanked the state for the town’s efforts.

According to Sommer, planning for the sidewalk improvements is taking place this fall, with construction slated for the spring and summer of 2025. Areas highlighted in yellow on the map below show the areas that will be addressed by the grant, and include stretches of Asylum Avenue, Boulevard, Farmington Avenue, Fern Street, Flagg Road, Kane Street, Mohawk Drive, Mohegan Drive, Mountain Road, New Park Avenue, North Main Street, North Quaker Lane, Oakwood Avenue, Prospect Avenue, Quaker Lane South, Ridgewood Road, South Highland Street, South Main Street, Talcott Road, Trout Brook Drive, and Tunxis Road.

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